Telegram boss to leave fortune to over 100 children he has fathered
The founder of instant messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, says the more than 100 children he has fathered will share his estimated $13.9bn (£10.3bn) fortune.
"They are all my children and will all have the same rights! I don't want them to tear each other apart after my death," Mr Durov told French political magazine Le Point.
Mr Durov claimed he is the "official father" of six children with three different partners, but the clinic "where I started donating sperm fifteen years ago to help a friend, told me that more than 100 babies had been conceived this way in 12 countries."
He also reiterated that he denies any wrongdoing in connection with serious criminal charges he faces in France.
The self-exiled Russian technology tycoon also told the magazine that his children would not have access to their inheritance for 30 years.
"I want them to live like normal people, to build themselves up alone, to learn to trust themselves, to be able to create, not to be dependent on a bank account," he said.
The BBC has approached Mr Durov for comment.
The 40-year-old said he had written a will now because his job "involves risks – defending freedoms earns you many enemies, including within powerful states".
His app, Telegram, known for its focus on privacy and encrypted messaging, has more than a billion monthly active users.
